A touching TV tribute charting the final days of Jonny Kennedy is in the running for an Emmy award.

The Boy Whose Skin Fell Off told the tragic tale of the 36-year-old who suffered from a rare skin disorder, epidermolysis bullosa.

The programme, which followed Jonny, from Alnwick, for four months as he prepared for his death, was seen by more than 4.6 million viewers in March, making it the most watched documentary screened by Channel 4.

Within a month, more than #200,000 was raised for the charity DebRA, which was set up to research and fight the illness. The model Nell McAndrew raised cash for the cause by taking part in the London Marathon.To date, the fund stands at just over #500,000.

Now the show is one of eight listed in the documentary category of the Emmy awards, TV's equivalent of the Oscars. The list will be whittled down to the best four in October. The awards, watched by more than 600 million people annually, will be announced in New York in November.

The programme will be aired again on Channel 4 on September 26, the anniversary of Jonny's death.

Edna, Jonny's mother, said: "It's absolutely wonderful that the programme could win an award. Apart from the fact that it raised awareness of the condition, it has helped the charity a lot.

"There are people out there suffering quite badly and Jonny would've done anything to raise awareness. He knew it was too late for him, but he just wanted to help people he was leaving behind.

"He was the one person who knew exactly what sufferers are going through. I'm very proud of what he's done."

Ever since his death, Edna has tried to raise awareness of the charity and has organised a memorial dance in tribute to Jonny at Alnwick's Northumberland Hall on September 25.

She added: "I'm getting more and more involved with the charity and I feel Jonny is still there in a way. I had a year to get used to the fact that he was going to die. But when you see somebody suffering you breathe a sigh of relief at the end."

The documentary's director, Patrick Collerton, said: "I'm absolutely delighted and slightly stunned about the Emmys. This was something we made without really thinking of what would happen to it afterwards.

"It's gone on to touch a lot of people and raise a lot of money. Jonny was a spectacular person who had a real ability to get people to react to him as a character rather than to his disability."

The programme also has two nominations for the Grierson awards, given for best documentary film-making.